We are looking for an individual with a passion for customer care and an interest in history to join our small, dedicated team engaged in day to day operational delivery of a museum service of the highest standard.

This is a varied and interesting role involving managing museum collections; processing new acquisitions, the handling, storage and care of museum objects, general reception duties and running the museum shop. In addition you will be involved in planning and booking exhibitions and planning and construction of museum displays and exhibitions.

Ideally you will have experience of working within a museum, heritage or similar environment and essentially you should possess:

• 5 GCSEs or equivalent, including Maths and English,
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• High levels of accuracy in recording information and following procedures
• Excellent customer care skills
• Ability to work within a team and on own initiative
• Good IT skills, including experience of working with computers including word, excel, e mail and confidence utilising social media
• Ability to assist in delivering events and activities to adults and children

The benefits include a minimum of 24 days annual leave, in addition to bank holidays and a generous pension scheme.

EASTWOOD’S D.H Lawrence Birthplace Museum has been awarded a VisitEngland Hidden Gem Accolade, received as part of VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme.

Assessors who visited praised the Museum for its exceptionally interesting tour, the outstanding knowledge and enthusiasm and great visitor care displayed by the staff, the intriguing human interest information provided and the overall high level of presentation and maintenance of the museum.

Councillor Shane Easom, Chair of the Leisure and Environment Committee said: “We are delighted with this accolade and it’s a credit to all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes that ensures that visitors have a great experience when they visit.”

“It takes a dedicated team working on collections management, interpretation, research, visitor engagement, not to mention a museum, exhibitions space and a gift shop. It is evident that you don’t have to be a fan of Lawrence to enjoy a visit and receiving the accolade helps to confirm this. We hope this accolade will encourage more visitors to seek out this place of significant cultural interest.”

The museum is tucked away on a neatly cobbled street, behind the main shopping area of Eastwood and so is somewhat ‘hidden’.

The authentically restored Victorian house in which D.H. Lawrence was born and lived until he was two years of age is much bigger inside than first assumed. In each room there is meticulous attention to the style of the period, nothing is roped off and combined with the fully guided tour visitors receive an immersive experience of life in a Victorian household. D.H. Lawrence is one of the most famous and often controversial writers of the 20th century and if you are a fan, then a visit to the museum and the area is a must.

The museum is also a starting point to explore the beautiful surrounding countryside, which inspired so much of Lawrence’s work, and the Blue Line Trail; an urban walk taking you by other points of interest relating to Lawrence.

The D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum is an award winning visitor attraction in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire (not far from junction 26 of the M1 and the IKEA retail park). It combines D.H. Lawrence’s authentically recreated childhood home, with an exhibition space celebrating the author’s life, work and humble beginnings. From here you can also explore the surrounding countryside, which inspired his work.

The D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. For more information, please contact the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum on (0115) 9173824, email dhlawrence@liberty-leisure.org.uk or visit www.liberty-leisure.org.uk/dhlawrence Facilities include a charming gift shop, tea and coffee, and a picnic area.

The Nottinghamshire Heritage Forum has conducted a commemorative event in conjunction with Nottinghamshire County Council to mark the centenary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

The civic event, held at Nottinghamshire County Hall, was attended by Leader of the County Council Alan Rhodes, Armed Forces Champion Cllr Ian Campbell, Chairman of the County Council Yvonne Woodhead and various other distinguished guests.

There were also representatives from local museums and the Nottinghamshire Heritage Forum in attendance, who were dressed in traditional garments of the time as part of the experience. The Heritage Forum provided a variety of displays and a special showing of a World War One propaganda film which were seen by attendees.

The event was the first of a series for the Heritage Forum, with the film set to be shown at six venues across the local area in the coming months, the next of which is in Nottingham Castle on 23rd July.

The fascinating displays included exhibits from Clipstone Camp showcasing the area’s impact on the War, the Museum of the Horse in Tuxford who provided Wartime cavalry equipment, information from Radcliffe-on-Trent detailing how the war affected the local area and its people, and a display by the Heritage Forum with artefacts from Bilsthorpe Heritage Centre, Flintham Museum, Ruddington Village Museum and the National Civil War Centre.

The day began with a military service in front of the Memorial Plaque at the front of County Hall, with the County Council Choir singing several wartime songs and readings being given by various military and county personnel.

Over a million people are thought to have died over the course of the Battle of the Somme, one of the most deadly battles in British history, with the British sustaining roughly 60 000 casualties on the first day alone. Two minutes of silence were observed at 11am to commemorate these losses.

Attendees were then invited inside to view the displays and exhibitions, with the captivating information entertaining all in attendance.

Skye Barrett and Caitlin Peck, MA Heritage students at Nottingham Trent University who helped setup and organise the event with the Nottinghamshire Heritage Forum, then introduced the gripping film from 1916. The film showed various aspects of life on the frontline, as well as some footage of troops in action on 1st July 1916.

The enthralling film was originally viewed by a staggering 20 million people within just six weeks of its release, and at one point Nottinghamshire locals raised concern over the fact that children could be admitted to the cinema to see it for a penny on weekends. However, the film proved so popular that this concern was ignored.

Members of the Western Front Association and Neil Bettison, Community Development Officer, gave specialist insight into the images being shown, adding absorbing knowledge to the film.

Councillor Woodhead brought the event to a close by stating that “The statistics barely show the horror or the heroism.”

She went on to say that “Our worst day was also our best day,” and that we must work to “reconcile the past moving forward.”

Skye Barrett said of the event; “It was really nice to be a part of the project right through its development. It’s really increased my sense of community.”

Caitlin Peck echoed her sentiment. “It’s been great to see the project grow from its beginning. And it’s been nice to engage audiences who don’t normally go to museums – it’s been very rewarding to connect with people in the county.”

The film experience, complete with compelling displays, will next be shown in Nottingham Castle on 23rd July.

‘The Problem of the Poor?’ is a volunteer-based heritage project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund which offers a range of roles. There is something for everyone, suited to different interests and levels of experience, with total beginners especially welcome.

For those with existing experience of carrying out family, local or social history there are roles as independent researchers, exploring the history of the Nottingham Society for Organising Charity (now NCVS), formed in 1875, during its first 25 years. Certain areas of this history and the figures, places, and concepts associated with it could be researched remotely, from outside of Nottingham. There are also opportunities to become heritage buddies, supporting volunteers new to heritage in a series of fun, interactive, workshops and learning sessions.

Volunteers new to heritage, research or Nottingham’s history are also being sought. In a series of hands-on, informal, workshops they’ll be guided, and equipped with the skills, to explore the difficulties faced by the poorest residents of Nottingham in 1875-1901, the struggles that they faced, the statutory and non-statutory support ostensibly available to them, and the repercussions of choices made in the times of greatest difficulty.

Sessions will take place in the city centre, and primarily at NCVS’s building. Travel expenses are available.

The project will run for 6 months and is due to start in late March 2015.

For more information or to get involved contact Alison, project leader, for an informal chat:

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has approved a bid to develop a Landscape Partnership scheme in Sherwood Forest, which could ultimately see a £3.7m restoration of the ancient woodland and celebration of Sherwood’s cultural heritage.

The “From miner to Major: the real Sherwood Forest” project aims to reflect the diverse heritage of the area, which encompasses coal mining and internationally important wildlife, as well as the legendary Robin Hood.

A development grant of £119,000 will enable the Sherwood Forest Landscape Partnership to develop ideas that will rebuild Sherwood Forest’s sense of place, reconnecting its ancient woodlands, heathlands, and cultural heritage.

The bid has been submitted by Nottinghamshire County Council on behalf of a growing partnership of organisations from the, heritage, conservation and community sectors (see Notes to Editors).

Success represents completion of the first part of HLF’s two-stage process and means that a further phase of development work can now go ahead. This development phase is expected to take 18 months and will prepare detailed proposals for a series of schemes to be implemented on the ground from 2017.

If the second stage of the application is successful, the value of the final scheme is expected to be worth around £3.7m. Projects would be supported over an area of around 200 square kilometres and managed by a range of public and private landowners.

Local people and community groups would be encouraged and supported to take part in projects in their community, aimed at learning about, conserving or celebrating their area’s heritage.

Councillor John Knight, Chairman of the Culture Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “We are overjoyed to hear of the bid’s success as there were many applicants and a lot of competition. It reflects well on the hard work that was put in by many partners. We recognise that this is only the first step in our aspirations to make more of Sherwood’s heritage, but it is a very important step as it will enable us to carry out careful study and consultation to make sure that we have got the best possible programme of proposals.”

John Everitt, Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Chair of the Sherwood Forest Regional Park Board, said: “This is excellent news, which confirms the national importance of Sherwood Forest and will help us to realise the vision of a Regional Park. Extra funding from HLF will offer great opportunities to restore industrial areas to wildlife-rich heathland and woodland. We also want to use the richness of the area’s built and cultural heritage to connect with local communities and to stimulate a visitor economy.”

The Friends of Moor Pond Wood is one local group that is supporting the bid. Stephen Walker, chairman of the Friends, said: “Thanks to HLF, we have already been able to find out more about our own site. We know that there are lots more groups interested in the heritage of their biodiversity, archaeology or built heritage and this scheme should enable lots more projects to get off the ground. We are looking forward to sharing our experience and ideas with other local groups so that they can get under way.”

Drew Bennellick, Head of Landscape and Natural Heritage, Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “On the eve of The National Lottery’s 20th birthday, this is the perfect moment to thank Lottery players for helping make possible our Landscape Partnership programme. We couldn’t have done it without them.

“Ten years ago we developed Landscape Partnerships so that we could deliver conservation on a truly landscape scale. With so many habitats and species in decline and people becoming less and less connected to nature and the land, the programme was the first of its kind to allow conservationists to work at a cross-landscape scale. The programme has grown rapidly and is now leading the way in allowing many of our most treasured landscapes, as well as some of our most damaged, to be managed for the future in a sustainable way.

“Involving people as volunteers, training them as guides or helping them learn new skills has enabled local people to appreciate, value and speak up for the countryside. Our funding has led to new strategic partnerships between private, public, charitable and community bodies. It has also ensured that the UK’s most precious resource, our landscape, will be protected for future generations. Thank you, Lottery players!”

Trent to Trenches is a City and County-wide programme of events taking place during 2014 to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War. It includes a major exhibition at Nottingham Castle from Saturday 26th July to Sunday 16th November 2014, together with a range of smaller exhibitions, events and research projects taking place throught the county.

Nottingham Castle Exhibition

Marking one hundred years since the outbreak of the Great War, this exhibition explores the experiences of the people of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, at home and in the trenches in Northern France, through powerful images, diaries, letters and artefacts. The exhibition will draw on a range of collections, including loans from national institutions. The themes will be broad ranging, covering the involvement of local people in all theatres of the global conflict, their involvement in all services and on the home front and examining the changes wrought on society by the conflict.

The Heritage Awards are an to gather with colleagues and stakeholders, celebrate the work of Nottinghahshire’s heritage organisations and showcase best practice. In previous years the awards have generated great publicity for all the participants and helped to raise the profile of heritage in Nottinghahshire.

Although the Heritage Forum has worked in partnership with Renaissance East Midlands to support the awards in previous years, 2014 will be our second occasion running them as an independent body. We are grateful to Nottingham Trent University for providing sponsorship for the awards and a venue for the ceremony, and support from the Culture Syndicates with the administration of the awards.

The categories, eligibility and timetable are:

Categories:

Best Event

Best Exhibition

Award for the Care & Development of Collections

Award for Work with Children & Young People

Inspiration Award for Best Special Project

New for 2014 Special Contribution Award

Heritage Site of the Year

Eligibility:

All activity must have been undertaken between 1st May 2012 and 30th April 2014

Entry is open to forum members, except for the Special Contribution Award which is open to all individuals and organsiations involved with heritage activities in Nottinghamshire

Timetable:

Closing Date for entries: Sunday 1st June

Short listing will take place during the week commencing June 9th. All entrants will be notified of the results of this stage by early in the week commencing June 16th.

Judging visits, where relevant, are expected to be during the week commencing June 23rd.

Winners will be announced at the ceremony on July 17th.

The awards ceremony will be on the evening of Thursday July 17th at the Nottingham Conference Centre, Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street.

The Framework Knitters Museum at Ruddington is raising funds for an exciting project which would enlarge and unify this unique heritage site. For the first time in a generation the nineteenth-century framework knitter’s cottages that currently divide the museum’s buildings into two separate sites are available for purchase. Acquiring these would transform the museum and dramatically improve what it can offer visitors and school groups.

The museum is appealing to its past and current supporters for help to raise the funds required to acquire Gunn Cottage before it is sold on the open market:

A Rare Opportunity

The Framework Knitters Museum is a fast-growing, forwards-looking, dynamic museum, and this success is due to the commitment and support from people like you. With your help we now have a once in a generation opportunity to make it even better. Expanding our site to include the neighbouring cottage block will enable us to unite our existing buildings into a single site and provide us with the space to finally do justice to Nottinghamshire’s rich textile heritage. Your support will enable us to offer you improved visitor facilities, create new exhibition spaces, enable us to host bigger events, develop a designated educational resource space and provide a fitting home for our unique textile collection. Greater space will enable us to become a community resource at the heart of Ruddington life and establish us as a key heritage destination for the entire region.

A Museum with a Mission

The museum has already made major improvements in the past two years. Visitor numbers are at their highest ever, and our events in 2012 and 2013, our most popular yet, generating record levels of funding. Our plans however require more funding than we can generate alone.

We remain committed to continuing to enhance the experience and opportunities that we can offer visitors, and have twice been awarded financial support from the prestigious Heritage Lottery Fund in recognition of this. With a variety of funders already committed to our current £100,000 improvement plans for 2013-14 we are already working hard to enhance the physical environment of our historic site, develop new displays and materials, introduce a brand new educational package, and unveil Britain’s only permanent Luddite exhibition.

However, without your help to extend our site we can only take these improvements so far and we are limited in how many people we can accommodate. The purchase of this neighbouring cottage block is our opportunity to gain the space that will guarantee future growth and expansion of our services.

This is why the museum has launched a fundraising campaign, and why it needs the help of supporters old and new. As the only museum dedicated to celebrating the history of Nottingham textiles, and learning from the story of its poor workers, we need your support.